Our “talented roster.”

[drag worm]

Does not apply to the offensive line. 

In six signing classes since Flood arrived, we have signed exactly four players considered blue chip prospects:

2022: Banks / Campbell (both long gone) 

2023: None (*credit to finding three star Goosby but this is a blue chip discussion) 

2024: Baker

2205: None

2026: Turntine 

The lack of elite players has continuously been chalked up on sites like this one and others as a “Big Humans” strategy where lesser ranked candidates get groomed in the ranks and blossom when needed as maulers. Looking at the collection of offensive line players this season especially the depth options that strategy has been an abject failure. 

Say what you want about Coleman, Raleek, Smothers, Bishop, Wingo, etc and what a “talented roster” we have but the lack of an elite OL is the foundation of our suckage and it has been for three seasons now. 
 

[ClubWhatever]

Frankly, Baker isn’t very good.  Way over ranked.  Weak and slow footed.

[HornsUpThumbsDown]

Facts, gonna change the slogan to blocking humans. Like we need some that can 

[drag worm]

16 minutes ago, ClubWhatever said:

Frankly, Baker isn’t very good.  Way over ranked.  Weak and slow footed.

Don’t disagree. And I get that there are exceptions to the blue chips rankings in both directions. But it is proven over and over again that highly ranked high four and five star players pan out more than lower ranked recruits and Flood ain’t signing them. 
 

Edited 4 hours ago by drag worm

[Red Five]

Baker was probably a better OT than guard. Sikorski is ok; Basically about the level of Hutson at guard. Robertson is a real problem. 

[SB21]

50 minutes ago, TexasLonghorns said:

“BOOM!!!” every time Texas lands a recruit. OTF spends all offseason hyping every commitment, praising every evaluation, and selling fans on a loaded roster. Six years in, where’s the production? You can’t pump sunshine year-round and then act surprised when fans expect the results you’ve been selling.

Of course we are gonna hype up a recruit cause we hope each one actually makes a difference here but it’s crazy to slide that jab in on OTF for doing a good job with what we are given. It’s not anyone’s fault here that the player “with a lot of potential” doesn’t live up to the “hype”

[drag worm]

34 minutes ago, Red Five said:

Baker was probably a better OT than guard. Sikorski is ok; Basically about the level of Hutson at guard. Robertson is a real problem. 

Sikorski has played better than I expected him to. Center to RG to RT seems to be our weakness this season as opposed to last season which was more C / LG. Common denominator is C and zero depth to replace starters who aren’t getting it done. 

[TexasLonghorns]

5 minutes ago, SB21 said:

Of course we are gonna hype up a recruit cause we hope each one actually makes a difference here but it’s crazy to slide that jab in on OTF for doing a good job with what we are given. It’s not anyone’s fault here that the player “with a lot of potential” doesn’t live up to the “hype”

There’s a difference between celebrating recruits and constantly selling fans on how loaded this roster is. It’s “BOOM!” all offseason, praising evaluations, development, and depth. Then yesterday Bobby says there isn’t a single great player on offense, including Smothers. So which is it? 

[SETXAN]

Can’t fault the OTF staff. They do a tremendous job covering this team and the recruits across this country. Kudos to them for having to provide wall to wall coverage of this shi+-show. 

Recruiting can be a real crap-shoot. Plenty of 3 stars in the HoF and plenty of 5 stars are now used-car salesmen. You can bring in the most talent in the country, but there has to be the development step. And IOL has been a serious issue for Flood. 

Breece Hall’s statement still rings true all these years later:

“It’s five-star culture vs. five-star players.”

[Quinncent McManning, Jr.]

This OL can’t be fixed this year but we do have bodies to try at different positions 

LT Goosby

LG Sikorski

C Christian or Hutson

LG Hutson or Seymore or Coleman

RT Siani

Baker is the most disappointing one for me this year. Just looks clueless out there at times. We knew Robertsons strength was an issue and didn’t address it in the offseason 

[HornsInAmarillo]

12 minutes ago, SB21 said:

Of course we are gonna hype up a recruit cause we hope each one actually makes a difference here but it’s crazy to slide that jab in on OTF for doing a good job with what we are given. It’s not anyone’s fault here that the player “with a lot of potential” doesn’t live up to the “hype”

When they talk about the player like they have spent a lot of time doing personal scouting- which they sometimes say they have- they should be more realistic about a player’s potential. If they truly believe every player they scout is going to be a difference maker, then they are truly just sunshine pumping. I’ve rarely heard them say someone that commits is overrated. 

[TexasLonghorns]

6 minutes ago, HornsInAmarillo said:

When they talk about the player like they have spent a lot of time doing personal scouting- which they sometimes say they have- they should be more realistic about a player’s potential. If they truly believe every player they scout is going to be a difference maker, then they are truly just sunshine pumping. I’ve rarely heard them say someone that commits is overrated. 

Real scouting tells you what a player can AND can’t do. When every commitment gets a “BOOM!” and glowing reviews, but weaknesses are rarely discussed, that’s not objective scouting. That’s marketing.

[Beldar]

8 minutes ago, HornsInAmarillo said:

When they talk about the player like they have spent a lot of time doing personal scouting- which they sometimes say they have- they should be more realistic about a player’s potential. If they truly believe every player they scout is going to be a difference maker, then they are truly just sunshine pumping. I’ve rarely heard them say someone that commits is overrated. 

Will say this. This board has the best in the business at this. They do not sugar coat. They tell you what they see. They do spend time on the road scouting . Not sure what is wrong with this team . Not sure the coaches know. 

 

[drag worm]

2 hours ago, Quinncent McManning, Jr. said:

This OL can’t be fixed this year but we do have bodies to try at different positions 

LT Goosby

LG Sikorski

C Christian or Hutson

LG Hutson or Seymore or Coleman

RT Siani

Baker is the most disappointing one for me this year. Just looks clueless out there at times. We knew Robertsons strength was an issue and didn’t address it in the offseason 

I don’t think Hutson is cleared.